Access to Monaco

   By road

The Principality of Monaco is an independent state which is easily accessible by all of its land borders. Monaco is linked to France and other European nations by a network of highways

Amsterdam 1480 kms Genève 510 kms Barcelone 750 kms Milan 300 kms Bonn 1180 kms Munich 890 kms Bruxelles 1270 kms Paris 950 kms Francfort 1050 kms Rome 680 kms Madrid 1300 kms London 1 037 Kms

By train All international trains stop at the train station in Monaco-Monte-Carlo : the Ligure which links Marseille and Milan, the "train bleu" which links Paris and Ventimiglia, the T.G.V. (high-speed train) between Nice and Paris, or have at least a connecting train from the Principality.

By ship Large cruise ships can dock in Monaco. The Principality's two ports are equipped to greet pleasure-boats : the Port Hercule, is 39.52 square acres. This legendary port offers mooring and anchoring possibilities for five hundred vessels some of which are extremely large. With the growing development of maritime tourism, Monaco is today the starting point or terminus for many Mediterranean cruises. Monaco's shores, in summer, are fantastic viewpoints for its international fire-work competitions. The Port of Fontvieille integrated into the new district, can receive in its 19.76 acres of water as many as 60 vessels of at least 30 meters in length. At close proximity, the Port of Cap d'Ail is also a choice destination for pleasure-boats.

    By plane

The Nice-Côte-d'Azur International Airport , located 22 kilometers from Monaco, links the Principality to the major cities of the world. Confortable and rapid travel is ensured by numerous direct flights.

Amsterdam 1h40 Geneva 0h50 Moscow 7h00 Athena 3h00 Hong-Kong 16h00 New York 9h00 Brussels 1h40 London 2h00 Paris 1h15 Copenhague 2h00 Los Angeles 15h00 Rome 1h00 Dusseldorf 1h30 Madrid 1h45 Tokyo 18h00 Francfort 1h25 Milan 0h45 Zurich 1h00

    En helicoptère

The Principality is only 7 minutes away from the airport if you take one of the numerous daily helicopter flights. During the flight, you will discover the most beautiful shores of the Côte d'Azur. Upon arrival, a shuttle will take you to your desired destination.

    Car rental or taxi

If you are in a hurry, we suggest taking the highway (autoroute). The existence of a specific and direct exit for Monaco will allow for arrival in approximately 20 minutes. If you prefer a scenic drive, take the low or middle coastal roads (known as the Basse and Moyenne Corniche). You will discover unforgettable panoramic views.     By bus Regular bus service links the airport to the Principality in 45 minutes.

Tourism in Monaco Monte-Carlo

Once in your life you have to go for a trip in Monaco. This mythic place, between the Alpes and the Mediterranean sea will offer you dreams and reality.

Alone, both or with your family, for romantic holidays, simple tourism or a business trip, the Principality of Monaco will offer you a univers of many facets.

Monaco Monte-Carlo provides you many discoveries, a highly cultured place with its many museums, nice welcome with its nicest hotels in the world, sumptuous gastronomy with his wellknown restaurants.

Everything is done for your satisfaction !
Take the advantage of what the Principality has to offer by planning your stay in advance.

The Prince's Palace

At heart of the Principality, on the site of a fortress constructed by the Genovese in 1215 stands the Prince's Palace. It harbours splendours tracing out seven centuries of uninterrupted sovereignty. Touring the Palace is synonymous with journeying through the centuries – from the Renaissance to the Napoleonic period. The Palace Courtuard’s impressive double staircase leads the State Apartments, where sumptuous frescoes from the 16th enctury adorn the Mazarin Salon, the York Room and the imposing Throne Room. Every day at 11.55am precisely, on the square in front of the Palace, the traditional ritual of the Changing of the Guard – the Carabiniers du Prince – attracts and delights thousands of spectators..

Principality of Monaco

An independent sovereign state located between the foot of the Southern Alps and the Mediterranean, the Principality of Monaco borders on several French villages : La Turbie, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Cap d'Ail et Beausoleil.

In ancient history, the Rock of Monaco was a shelter for primitive populations. history of Monaco itself really started in the 13th Century. On 10th June 1215, the Genoan family of the Gibelins laid the first stone of the castle, which is still today the Prince's Palace. To attract new inhabitants, the initial masters of the Rock offered advantageous conditions to newcomers : territorial concessions, tax exemption. For 700 years, the history of Monaco has been linked to that of the Grimaldi Dynasty which has celebrated in 1997, the anniversary of its accession to the Principality of Monaco.

The official language is French, although Italian and English are widely spoken.The traditional Monegasque language, "le Monegù", is spoken amongst elders and is taught in all local schools. The currency is Euro. Monegasque coins are used.
"Deo Juvante" (With God's Help) is the motto of Monaco and its Princes. Catholicism is the state religion. However, freedom of worship is guaranteed by the Constitution and several religions are represented in Monaco.The National Holiday is celebrated on 19th November every year. The national telephone code for Monaco is '377' and telecommunications are very efficient. Monaco prints its own stamps.

    An international environment
Based on the latest official census, there are 35,646 inhabitants in the Principality of Monaco of which 7,634 are Monegasque, 10,029 are French and 6,596 are Italian. Over 125 nationalities are represented. Monaco and the neighbouring French areas represent approximately 95,515 people.

    An exceptional lifestyle
Benefiting from an ideal geographical location, the Principality of Monaco enjoys very mild winters and remarkably sunny summers, which tend not to be exceedingly hot. In fact, the results of a 60-year study show that the average temperature is 16° C, rain falls on less than 87 days per year and the sun shines 7 hours a day on average. Sea temperatures vary from 11° C in the winter to over 26° C in the middle of summer. Thanks to its Mediterranean climate, Monaco is a pleasant place to live all year round. In addition, it is worth noting that ski resorts in the Alps are only an hour's drive away. For further information, refer to the Key Figures page.

History of Grimaldi Family

he Rock of Monaco was a shelter for primitive populations. Traces of their occupation were discovered in a cave in the Saint-Martin Gardens. The first sedentary inhabitants of the region, the Ligures, are described as a mountain people, accustomed to hard work and an exemplary frugality.

The coast and the port of Monaco were probably the sea access for the interior Ligurian population, the Oratelli of Peille.

The origin of the name "Monaco" has been subject to several hypotheses. For some, the name comes from the Ligurian tribe, the Monoïkos, who inhabited the Rock in the 6th century B.C. For others, the origin comes from the Greek. In antiquity, the port of Monaco was associated with the cult of the hero Herakles (Hercules for the Romans), and his name was often linked to the expression "Herakles Monoïkos," which means Herakles alone. This version seems to bear out, as the modern name for Monaco's main port is the Port of Hercules.

At the end of the 12th century B.C., the Romans occupied the region. Monaco is part of the Province of the Maritime Alps. During their occupation, the Romans erected at La Turbie, the Trophy of Augustus, which celebrates the triumph of their military campaigns. During this same period, Phoenecian and Carthaginian sailors brought prosperity to the region. After the fall of the Roman Empire (5th century A.D.), the region was regularly sacked by different barbarian populations. It was only at the end of the X century, after the expulsion of the Sarrasins by the Count of Provence, that the coast slowly became repopulated.

Monaco's TOP3

 

Planning a Trip

Getting There

Monaco has rail, bus, and highway connections from other coastal cities, especially Nice. Trains arrive every 30 minutes from Cannes, Nice, Menton, and Antibes. For rail information, call tel. 36-35, or visit www.voyages-sncf.com. Monaco's railway station (Gare SNCF) is on avenue Prince Pierre. It's a long walk uphill from the train station to Monte Carlo. If you'd rather take a taxi but can't find one at the station, call tel. 377-93-15-01-01. You will face no border formalities when entering Monaco from mainland France.

In late 1999, Monaco opened an enormous train station .4km (1/4 mile) east of the old station. This station has three exits on three levels, and if you don't know which exit to use, you might have trouble finding your hotel. Monaco is a confusing place to navigate, so you might want to pick up a free map at the station's tourist office (daily June-Sept 8:30am-7:30pm). Arriving at the Monaco train station after 9pm is like arriving on Wall Street after 9pm-it's desolate, without a soul on the street. On the bright side, Monaco restaurants serve dinner late, so you can usually get a full meal at least until 11pm.

Frequent bus service (every 15 min.) runs to Nice, Beaulieu, and Menton on line no. 100 of the French bus company Rapides Côte d'Azur (tel. 04-93-85-64-44; www.rca.tm.fr). The trip from Nice to Monaco by bus takes a half-hour and costs 2.60€ round-trip or 1.30€ one-way. The times and prices are the same to Menton. The easiest place to catch a bus is in front of the gardens that face the Casino, but it also stops in front of the port (on bd. Albert-1er at the Stade Nautique stop) and at several other spots around town.

If you're driving from Nice to Monaco, take N7 northeast. The 19km (12-mile) drive takes about 35 minutes because of heavy traffic; Cannes to Monaco requires about 55 minutes. If driving from Paris, follow A6 to Lyon. In Lyon, take A7 south to Aix-en-Provence and A6 to Monaco.

Visitor Information

The Direction du Tourisme et des Congrés office is at 2A bd. des Moulins (tel. 377-92-16-61-66; fax 377-92-16-61-16; www.monaco-tourisme.com).

Getting Around

The best way to get around Monaco is by bus (www.cam.mc), and you can buy bus cards, which cost 1.80€ per ride, directly on the bus. Bus stops are set up every few blocks on the main streets in town, including boulevard Albert-1er, avenue St-Martin in Monaco-Ville, and boulevard des Moulins in Monte Carlo. Buses go to all the major tourist sights; just look at the front of the bus to see the destination.

For a taxi, call tel. 377-93-15-01-01. Taxi stands are in front of the Casino on avenue de Monte-Carlo, at place des Moulins in Monte Carlo, at the Port de Monaco on avenue Président J. F. Kennedy, and in front of the Poste de Monte-Carlo on avenue Henry-Dunant. A Hertz car-rental office is at 27 bd. Albert-1er (tel. 377-93-50-79-60), and an Avis office is at 1 av. des Guelphs (tel. 377-97-97-18-55).

Special Events

Two of the most-watched car-racing events in Europe are in January (Le Rallye) and May (the Grand Prix; www.monacograndprix.info). For more information, call tel. 377-99-99-30-00. In June, Monte Carlo is home to a weeklong convention that attracts media moguls from virtually everywhere, Le Festival 

International de la Télévision, Grimaldi Forum, avenue Princesse-Grace (tel. 377-99-99-30-00). Shows from all over the world are broadcast and judged on their merits.

Number, Please: Monaco's Telephone System

Since 1996, Monaco's phone system has been independent of France.

To call Monaco from within France and the European Union, dial 00 (the access code for all international long-distance calls from France), followed by the country code (377), then the eight-digit local phone number. (Don't dial the 33 code; that's the country code for France.)

To call Monaco from North America, dial the international access code, 011, the country code, 377, then the eight-digit Monaco number.

To call any other country from within Monaco, dial 00 (the international access code), then the applicable country code, and the number. For example, to call Cannes, you would dial 00, 33 (France's country code), 4 (the city code, without the zero), and the eight-digit number.